NANOMMUNE - Project to Study Effects of Engineered Nanomaterials on the Immune System Underway
Researchers from Sweden, Finland, Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland and the United States have been awarded €3.358.500 from the European Commission to study the hazardous effects of engineered nanomaterials on the immune system. The project NANOMMUNE will continue for 3 years.
The interdisciplinary network consists of experts in material sciences, cell biology, immunology, toxicology, systems biology and risk assessment. Engineered nanomaterials (ENs, particles < 100 nm) offer tremendous opportunities in industry, daily consumables, medicine, electronics and numerous other areas. However, there are considerable knowledge gaps concerning the potential hazardous effects of ENs on human health and the environment. The NANOMMUNE partnership is committed to filling these knowledge gaps through a comprehensive assessment of ENs, with particular focus on effects on the immune system.
Through a comprehensive approach, which combines different disciplines, the project consortium aims to analyze and predict the toxic potential of existing and emerging ENs on key functions of the immune system. A detailed physico-chemical characterization of ENs is also an integrative part of the project. Overall, the NANOMMUNE project results will enhance the understanding of possible adverse effects of nanomaterials and will contribute to a continuous and sustainable growth of the nanotechnologies.
The project encompasses the following work packages:
WP1 - Project Management
Management and administration of all activities in the other work packages.
WP2 - Synthesis and Physico-chemical characterization
Generation, modification and characterization of various classes of custom designed nanomaterials and benchmarking of commercial nanomaterials.
WP3 - In vitro assessment and mechanistic studies
Investigates the mechanisms and signaling pathways of particle-cell and cell-cell interactions after exposure of primary cells and cell lines to nanomaterials in vitro.
WP4 - In vivo assessment and confirmation
Studies the immunotoxic effects of in vivo exposure to nanomaterials focusing on tissue damage, pharmacokinetic dynamics and distribution.
WP5 - High throughput in silico assessment
Establishes nanotoxic signatures by performing lipidomics and transcriptomics analyses of samples derived in after in vitro (WP3) and in vivo (WP4) exposure with nanoparticles.
WP6 - Modeling and risk assessment
Aims to develop a structure based paradigm for assessing the toxicological hazard of nanomaterials by using the data obtained in the other work packages. These results will be published on the risk assessment database.
The NANOMMUNE project was launched on September 1st 2008 and will run for 3 years. The project is funded by the European Commission through the 7th Framework Programme by the funding scheme of Collaborative projects, in the area of Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies (NMP).
Source: Nanowerk, NANOMMUNE Website